March 23, 2022
10th Anniversary Interview Series: Under Secretary James Kvaal

Conversation Focuses on Improved Policy Execution and Building a System of Inclusivity
To close out California Competes’s 10th Anniversary Interview Series, US Department of Education Under Secretary James Kvaal joined Executive Director Dr. Su Jin Gatlin Jez to discuss the Biden-Harris Administration's plan to support an equitable post-pandemic recovery.
As the Under Secretary, Kvaal provides leadership in bringing the Administration's postsecondary education reforms into fruition. He is an equity champion and has decades of experience tackling higher education issues across the nation.
Under Secretary Kvaal attended California Competes 10th anniversary celebration in Sacramento on March 1st to give a timely keynote speech on how federal and state governments can work together to build brighter futures for students. Prior to the event start, Dr. Jez sat down with him for a one-on-one conversation. Their discussion spanned across topics such as building a system of inclusivity, improving higher education-employer engagement, and evidence-based policymaking. View their full conversation on California Competes’s blog below.
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10th Anniversary Interview Series with California Competes Alumni
California Competes |
February 23, 2022
To reflect on California Competes's decade of impact in anticipation of its upcoming anniversary celebration, Executive Director Dr. Su Jin Gatlin Jez speaks with four past leaders and alumni of the organization: Mr. Bob Shireman, Dr. Lande Ajose, Ms. Ria Bhatt, and Dr. Valerie Lundy-Wagner.
10th Anniversary Interview Series: ASU President Michael Crow
California Competes |
November 30, 2021
For California Competes 10th anniversary interview series, Executive Director Dr. Su Jin Gatlin Jez sits down with Arizona State University (ASU) President Michael Crow, who has been credited with driving a national conversation on how institutions can serve larger numbers of students, to discuss his perspectives and trailblazing initiatives in higher education.
10th Anniversary Interview Series: Dr. Estela Mara Bensimon
California Competes |
September 02, 2021
A pioneer in “equity-minded” scholarship—a term she created—Dr. Estela Mara Bensimon is one of a small number of University of Southern California professors honored with the title University Professor for her multidisciplinary contributions. California Competes Executive Director Dr. Su Jin Gatlin Jez spoke with Dr. Bensimon about her work for our 10th anniversary interview series.